Google has taken the wrappers off Cloud IoT Core, a fully managed service for connecting, managing and ingesting data from IoT devices.
Since launching in public beta in September 2017, the service is now generally available through the channel, with local customers already on board.
Based in New Zealand, Smart Parking specialises in the design, development and management of parking technology.
The ASX-listed business - with offices also in Australia and the UK - first introduced the solution in early 2017, four months before the public beta phase.
As reported by ARN, the provider has used Cloud IoT Core to build out a smart city platform, helping direct traffic, parking and city services.
“Using Google Cloud IoT Core, we have been able to completely redefine how we manage the deployment, activation and administration of sensors and devices,” Smart Parking group CTO, John Heard, said.
“Previously, we needed to individually set up each sensor/device. Now we allocate manufactured batches of devices into IoT Core for site deployments and then, using a simple activation smartphone app, the onsite installation technician can activate the sensor or device in moments.”
With the offering already in use across industries such as transportation, oil and gas, utilities and healthcare, Cloud IoT Core specialises in secure device connection and management.
The service, in combination with other services on Google Cloud IoT platform, is built to provide a "complete solution" for collecting, processing, analysing and visualising IoT data in real-time to support improved operational efficiency.
“With Cloud IoT Core, you can easily connect and centrally manage millions of globally dispersed connected devices,” Google Cloud product manager, Indranil Chakraborty, said.
“When used as part of the broader Google Cloud IoT solution, you can ingest all your IoT data and connect to our state-of-the-art analytics and machine learning services to gain actionable insights.”
According to Chakraborty, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) customers are already using connected devices and Cloud IoT Core as the foundation of IoT solutions.
“Whether it’s smart cities, the sharing economy or next-generation seismic research, we’re thrilled that Cloud IoT Core is helping innovative companies build the future,” Chakraborty added.
Partner ecosystem
From a channel perspective, the Google ecosystem in relation to Cloud IoT Core is split into two core sections, spanning device and application partners.
Specifically, IoT device partners build hardware and software that connect the physical world to GCP through services such as Google Cloud IoT Core, with key vendors including Intel, Cisco and Microchip, alongside NXP Semiconductors, Sierra Wireless and SOTEC among others.
Meanwhile, applications partners build software that helps provision and manage IoT devices and connections, as well as provide insights into data generated from IoT devices.
Chakraborty said IoT applications partners integrate with a number of Google Cloud services, including Cloud IoT Core, Pub/Sub, and BigQuery, and include providers such as Mnubo, Tellmeplus and Leverege, as well as Telit, Losant and Bright Wolf.
“We continue to grow our ecosystem of partners, providing companies with the insight and staff to build custom IoT solution that best fits their needs,” Chakraborty added.
“On the device side, we have a variety of partners whose hardware works seamlessly with IoT Core. Application partners, meanwhile, help customers build solutions using IoT Core and other Google Cloud services.”
